Football: LAWRIE'S BACKING ENGLAND; Boss wants World Cup rivals to beat everyone but us.Byline: ORLA BANNON NORTHERN Ireland Northern Ireland: see Ireland, Northern. Northern Ireland Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupying the northeastern portion of the island of Ireland. Area: 5,461 sq mi (14,144 sq km). Population (2001): 1,685,267. boss Lawrie Sanchez Lawrence Philip Sanchez (born October 22, 1959 in London, England) is a former Northern Irish football player who is the current manager of Fulham. The son of an Ecuadorian father and a Northern Irish mother, Sanchez went to Presentation College, a private boys' school in has dismissed England's hopes of World Cup glory in 2006 but is hoping they cruise through the qualifying campaign to further his own cause. Sanchez feels England's age-old dilemma of lacking a true left-sided player cost them during the recent European Championships in Portugal - and will do so again in Germany if it remains unresolved. Sanchez will have the opportunity to add to Eriksson's woes when the two nations meet at Old Trafford in March as both countries form part of an enthralling en·thrall tr.v. en·thralled, en·thrall·ing, en·thralls 1. To hold spellbound; captivate: The magic show enthralled the audience. 2. To enslave. qualifying group which also includes Wales. Sanchez's biggest concern is how to steer a nation through to the finals of a major championships for the first time since 1986 as it has been sheer misery for Northern Ireland fans since then. Which is why Sanchez is banking on England romping the group, which also includes Poland, Austria and Azerbaijan. "I think England will win the group - I hope England win the group, and win every game they play, apart from against us," said Sanchez. "The more points England mop up in the group, the less there will be available for shocks, and it means the rest of us can fight it out for second place. That's my ideal scenario." CAPTION(S): PLANNING: Lawrie Sanchez |
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